She's a Soul Senda

I've mentioned Van Morrison's A Night in San Francisco in an earlier post. In 1993, Van Morrison released Too Long in Exile which featured collaborations with John Lee Hooker. A Night in San Francisco was recorded in December of 1993, and I'm inclined to believe that the collaboration on Too Long in Exile led to the line-up that appears on A Night in San Francisco.And, what a line-up it is. In addition to a solid back-up band headed by Georgie Fame (and featuring the afore-mentioned Candy Dulfer), vocalists in this concert include Junior Wells, Brian Kennedy, Jimmy Witherspoon and Shana Morrison. The result is distinctly not the singer/songwriter side of Van Morrison. Rather, it's the bluesman, soul singer, performer, musician Van Morisson.For some, this might be disappointing. For others, like me, the result is a joy to listen to. Most songs are medleys, like the one I've tagged for Rhapsody, and include a variety of spontaneous interaction. In one song, for example, Jimmy Witherspoon, with no small measure of irony, asks the musical question, "How long will it be before I become a man?" Morrison answers, "It's up to you!"The video I've included was made for the Too Long in Exhile, but it gives a good sense of what the show sounds like. Lot's of improvised vamping; great musicians having a wonderful time making beautiful music.